But he also moots a “regional mobility tax” – a bureaucratic euphemism for a payroll tax: He proposes clipping businesses 33 cents on every $100 of payroll, in hopes of bringing in $1.5 billion a year.

And that, of course, would be just for starters.

Yes, Ravitch would have it that employers would pay this tax.

In fact, employees would pay it. Or, more to the point, former employees would pay – with their jobs.

Think about it: Do companies need further incentive to cut labor costs in New York’s current recession economy?

It would be one thing if Ravitch had suggested sharing the pain – by squeezing some concessions from the MTA’s labor force, for example,

But he does not.

And while there is a lot of talk about cutting state and city spending, very little has actually happened – and very little is likely to happen.

Unlike tax hikes, which seem sure to happen. To wit:

* In August, the Assembly passed two-for-one legislation calling for two new tax brackets – the better to pick the pockets of high-income New Yorkers.

For those earning more than $1 million a year, the income-tax rate would go from 6.85 percent to 7.85 percent.

And for people earning more than $5 million, the top rate would leap from 6.85 percent to 8.6 percent.

This may have a certain political appeal, but it’s sure to substantially dampen any Wall Street recovery once this crisis begins to abate.

Meanwhile:

* Last month, Mayor Bloomberg raised the possibility of a 15 percent hike in the city income tax.

* Then, two weeks later, Bloomberg’s budget director announced that the mayor would also most likely encourage Albany to restore the commuter tax.

Yet to be heard from is Paterson, but he’s making a budget proposal in 10 days – so don’t get your hopes up.

Add ’em all together, and they amount to a major-league burden on New York’s economy – and a mugging of all New Yorkers who actually work for a living.

As companies across the nation continue bleeding jobs – AT&T yesterday announced 12,000 workers were being laid off – do Richard Ravitch and David Paterson really believe that the time is right for a new payroll tax?